The Barkeep and The Madman
by todaywasasherlockday
Summary: AU: John is working in a bar in London to help pay his way through medical school, when he meets an insane man who looks like he'd strolled straight out of a mystery novel. Rated for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**So this idea occurred to me and I just had to write it. I realize that it's probably been written before so.. sorry but I'm writing another one. Deal.**

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John was working at a pub full-time during the summer after he graduated from high school. He enjoyed the work, he liked chatting women up, and talking football with the men. John was going to medical school in the fall, and as much as he had scholarships and some support from his parents, medical school was killer expensive so he was saving every last penny of what he earned and he was cutting corners were ever he could manage it.

John planned to go into the army once out of medical school. He'd always been fond of the idea to protect queen and country.

It was a normal evening, in early July when he saw the man that changed his life forever. John had been filling up a pint and chatting to the woman across the bar when the man walked in the door.

John did what anyone would do and glanced up to the door when he heard the bells ring that signaled that someone had entered or exited the pub, but he had to do a double take when he saw the man who'd entered the pub.

He didn't look like he belonged there at all. This beautiful man was all angles. His angular cheek bones, sculpted lips, icy blue-gray eyes that were slightly covered by his curly black hair gave him an aura of mystery. His face, coupled with the fact that he was wearing a dress shirt and dress pants was a dead give away that he didn't belong here.

He couldn't have been older than 18, and yet his face was both ancient and juvenile.

Most of the clientele at the pub were adults with reasonable employment that were here on a date, or to watch a game.

John handed the woman her drink, before moving over to the other side of the bar to get a closer look at the gorgeous man that seemed so out of place.

"Can I get you anything?" John asked.

"Water, please." The man replied in a deep baritone voice that almost made John shiver.

John quickly filled the man's glass with water and handed it to him.

"Thank you." He replied, taking a long gulp out of the glass.

"Anything else?"

"No." He replied curtly, before turning around on the bar stool he had claimed and staring at the crowd of people.

He remained in the same spot all night. Every once and awhile, he'd call on John to refill his water. He'd use as few words as possible before turning and staring at the crowd again.

Finally, it was time to close the pub. The last few people trickled out but still the dark haired man remained in his position at the bar.

"Oi. Mate," John said, as he started washing down the bar, "Bar's closing. Go home."

The dark haired man turned to look at him, "What time is it?"

John checked his watch before answering, "10 to midnight."

"Your sign says open to midnight so I still have 10 minutes." The man replied with a smug grin.

"Fine." John replied, as he started to stack the chairs that sat around the tables.

"Doctor or nurse?" John heard the man asked as he wiped down the tables.

"Pardon?" John asked, turning.

"Doctor or nurse?" The man repeated, seemingly annoyed that he had to repeat himself.

"Doctor.. How did you know that?"

"I didn't know. I saw." The man replied, a dangerous twinkle in his icy eyes, "Ta. I'll see you tomorrow, John." With that the man loped out the door and out of sight.

John shook his head to clear it and finished cleaning the bar. He then locked up and walked home.

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**So that was the beginning. I'm thinking one maybe two more chapters... I hope you enjoyed this and have a nice day :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, so I'm back.. I hope you enjoy this new installment of this thing...**

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John had trouble getting to sleep that night. That beautiful man seemed to be running through his mind constantly. John had always preferred women, but his sexuality was very fluid, and there was something about that man, maybe his mysterious aura or his beauty that was almost intoxicating to John.

John rolled over for the millionth time that night and finally sleep came to him.

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Meanwhile on the other side of town, the same man that John had been thinking about sat with his hands pressed together while he explored the imaginary palace in his mind.

He was analyzing his reaction to the reasonably attractive, but oh so average barkeep. He'd just gone to the bar to study the people there. He needed practice using his deduction skills. He was averaging at 85% accuracy and that would never do if he meant to become a consulting detective.

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The next evening, John was working behind the bar again. Being a Sunday, the bar was no where near as busy as it had been the night before. John enjoyed shifts like this, where he could sit down on the stool behind the bar and read his book.

John was having trouble focusing on his book that evening though. He kept glancing up, not wanting to miss the arrival of the beautiful man who'd promised to see him tomorrow.

Suddenly, John heard the bells ringing that signaled a new patron. John marked his page and stood, expecting to fill whatever order was thrown his way. He was met with sight of the beautiful man from the night before.

"Hello, stranger." John said with a warm smile.

"Hello John." The man nodded to him before sitting down on the same stool that he'd occupied the night before.

"What can I get you?" John asked.

"Same." He replied in a bored tone.

John shook his head and filled a glass of water and placed it on the bar in front of the man.

"So, do you have a name?" John probed gently, leaning against the bar in front of the beautiful man.

The corner of the man's lips pulled up into a tight smile, "Of course I do, John. Don't be daft, it's not becoming."

John laughed, "What's your name then?"

"Sherlock Holmes." The man said, still smiling.

"John. Watson." John replied, holding his hand out for Sherlock to shake.

Sherlock took his hand and shook it firmly, "I know."

John laughed again, "Of course you do."

"Oi! Can I get another vodka martini?" Another patron asked from the other side of the bar.

John reluctantly left Sherlock to fill the other patron's order. When he was done, John returned his position in front of Sherlock.

"How did you know about my wanting to be a doctor?"

"I told you yesterday. I didn't know. I saw."

"Well how did you see then?"

"You're notebook was open and you were sketching an anatomically correct heart. This of course could mean mild interest in the human body, but when you were flipping through your notebook, it was filled with the names of muscle groups, bones and nerves. Along with several diagrams and drawings. A normal person would have looked up pictures, but you want or need to know everything about the human body so you draw and write everything out."

John stared at Sherlock, 'That was amazing!" He exclaimed once he'd found his voice.

Sherlock smiled, enjoying the compliment, "That's not what people normally say."

"What do people normally say?"

"Piss off."

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The casual banter between Sherlock and John continued throughout the night. They just couldn't get enough of each other's presence. At the end of the night, Sherlock sat on his stool and talked about his most recent experiment while John wiped down the tables and stacked the chairs. He continued blathering when John was locking up and even started following John as he started off into the night.

It was well past 1:30 in the morning before either of the men realized that they were just wandering aimlessly through the streets of London.

"I should probably get back to my house." John stated reluctantly. He was ready to part from the young genius yet.

"John, what are you doing tomorrow?" Sherlock blurted out when John turned to walk in the general direction of his home.

"Nothing. Why?" John asked turning back to face the genius.

"Perhaps we could see each other again. In the daytime." Sherlock stated, looking at the pavement in embarrassment.

"I'd love to. 10 o'clock in front of the pub?" John said, smiling.

"That sounds doable." Sherlock's smile matched John's as he spoke.

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**So that's the end of chapter two. I hope you enjoyed this. Till next time :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**So here we are again... Enjoy.**

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John was early, he was almost periodically early for everything. He was always the first one to show up, and he didn't mind, so when he got to the bar at 9:45, he was expecting to wait for at least 15 minutes, maybe longer. Although just as he leaned against the window of the pub, which wasn't open yet, Sherlock came around the corner.

Just looking at that beautiful man made John's face break out into a huge grin.

"Good morning John." Sherlock said as he approached wearing, as usual, his ridiculously tight shirt and well cut suit pants.

"Coffee?" John asked, nodding his head down the street to the little cafe there.

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In the mid-July sun, John looked almost like he was glowing with golden light. Sherlock, dismissed this thought as sentimental and irrational, and immediately disposed of it while taking a sip of his coffee.

"Ok what about her?" John asked, pointing to a woman across the street.

"Student. I'd say art judging by the red paint on her shoe. Looking for a job."

"That's bloody amazing." John exclaimed.

Sherlock realized that he quite liked the compliments that John showered on him. His deductions were normally met with scorn, but John seemed to embrace them wholeheartedly.

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Sherlock and John spent a comfortable day together. Walking around London, going where ever they pleased, and soon it was 10 o'clock in the evening.

"I should be going." John said, as he stood and yawned. He and Sherlock were sitting on a bench in a park talking about Sherlock's latest experiment, how it'd gone horribly wrong, and how the police were now 'keeping an eye on him'.

"Already?" Sherlock asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. He wished John would stay, and that in it's self amazed the aspiring consulting detective.

"Yea. I work tomorrow. Gotta go home and get some rest." John replied, slightly sad to have to leave.

"Alright," Sherlock said with a pout as John turned and started to walk away, "And John?"

John turned back to Sherlock.

"Thanks for a great date."

John was flabbergasted, he stalked up to Sherlock, "This was not a date." He said firmly.

"You've walked much to close to me this entire day for me to believe that John." Sherlock said, his face calm, but he was terrified that he had miscalculated and he was going to lose John.

"I'm not gay." John replied.

"Never said you were." Sherlock replied, his voice smaller than it was before.

"Sherlock... I..." The way John had said his name, Sherlock couldn't help himself. He threw himself at the med student. And crushed his lips with his own. He was trying to coax a reaction out of the shorter man, but none came. Although he didn't push Sherlock away, just stood there as Sherlock pushed his tongue through John's lips and met his tongue.

Eventually, Sherlock needed to breathe (breathing, such a dull pass time), "John, I'm sorry." Sherlock said, turning away, his head hung in shame and embarrassment.

Then he felt a hand grip his arm, turning him around, so he came face to face with John.

"Sherlock, I may not be gay, but I'm definitely not straight either." John said, as he pulled Sherlock down for another kiss.

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**So there you have the end... I hope you enjoyed this... Have a nice day**


End file.
